The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-09-14
ALWAYS ON THE GO

Why Trainmen Stick to a Hard and Very
Dangerous Life.
I'VE see many strange things in our life
and many strange people. But that exis-
tence would be burden, and you could
not get man to run on the road at all, for
the pay is not great and the danger is not
little.''
lie was trainman on one of the many
roads that run out of Buffalo, and had
Just finished his supper and was quietly
enjoying cigar. The girl next door was
trying to strike up a Irritation with him
but in vain. Nor, did she show poor
taste. He was young, tall, fair looking,
with an athletic frame and pair of hon
est, fearless blue eyes, that compelled re-
spect from men and won the hearts of
women. He was in talkative mode and
went on paDsiDg now and then to keep
his cigar going.
~ don't know why it il, but am never
contented except whom 1 am on the move.
/ may be dull and depressed when am
down town, but the moment the conductor
calls out All aboard y and the engine pulls
out, forget everything except the hustle,
rumble, roar, and the swaying of the train.
The rapid motion has an exhilarating effect
and as the trees and fields whiz by my
blood begins to tingle.
"1hen q man makes friends at every
stopping-place. and there is always some
every station. You are always on the go,
and there are always old trends and new
faces at every turn. l like the life, and it
is the excitement in 1t that keeps SO many
men tied down to it. You must not think
we could not do better. Why, have quit
two or three times, and did well, too, bat
i could not stand it, so / returned to the
life again. Promotion is slow but sure,
and each of US know that a conductors
punch will surely come in time if we do
our duty. 1t is all very well to talk of
soulless corporations, but a railroad appre-
ciates an honest employe just as much, If
not more, than bank president does an
efficient clerk.
L don't know why it is" he went on,
after few vigorous paffs, "but the brake
manor trainman as he is now called-is
q greater masher than the conductor. The
shy country lass. the coy village maid, and
the aristocratic city lady all take to us.
One reason is we are more obliging. We
have few of the cares that annoy the con-
ductor; people are not trying to beat Us, and
we have no spoilers watching Us. / sup
pose it is necessary to put spies on the con-
ductors, but think as a class they are
honest. Now and then one yields to pit
iful tale, but he is too good Judge OF
human nature to be deceived often.
often think that if the officials had to be
tried and tempted as the conductors are
they would make as many mistakes of the
head and heart. 1 will give you one
pointer-if you wish to get a ride make
YOUR talk with the conductor before you
board the train. he will do Just az much
for you then as he will when you strike
him on board. A man who is honest new
er gets aboard and tries to beat his way,
ana no one knows this better than the
conductor.
No, we seldom get tips" he continued,
land great many of Us never take them.
OF course, we can pick up many cigars,
but they are more in the line of sociability
than anything else. We have so many
friends along the road that they are al
ways doing something of the kind. I
knew one day 1 returned book to an old
gentleman who had left it in his seat as he
changed cars here. He offered me a dol
lar, which ITefused. He then thanked me
very gracefully, with a marked English
accent. l found out afterWard he was
Herbert Spencer, was glad then I refused
the tip
81 can give you another instance" he
said, after another struggle with his cigar,
land THAI happened between here and
Syracuse. We pulled out one night, and
as l walked through the car l saw Young
girl with a pinched face dark, sad eyes
and hacking cough. | saw that she was
a consumptive, and 1 made up my mind
that she was hurryiDg home to die. was
all sympathy at once, and made up my
mind that I would keep track of her and
see that her journey was pleasant as posi-
BILE. We whirled along, and as went by
her l saw that she was suffering. |
| proffered my services, aud she said
she wanted q cup of water. 1 got it and
then fixed the seats and made her bed.
] gave her all the help 1 could, and she
finally told me her story. She said abe
had been q student at the Normal School
| at Albany, but she had been broken down
during the course of study. Now, had a
cousin there and / told her so, and she
knew her, She became more confidential
and told me she was going home to die,
| and that the doctors had told her she
could not live Fix months. When we
parted turned her over to the conductor
| on the next run, who had at one time been
trainman with me. l never saw her
sgain.
1T was good six months afterward," he
said, as he lighted his cigar, which had
| gone out when I heard that there was
reward offered to the trainman who had
| been kind to a sick lady on his train. /
Il ught of my adventure, but made up
n, mind that was not the lucky man.
| Now, all the boys had q sick passenger, but
none got the reward. One day in SYRIA
| cuse man came mp and began to talk with
! me about my sick passenger, and wanted q
description. am a good hand in remem-
| bering names and faces, and l told him
about her pinched face and her eyes and
her cough, as have told you. He told me
that was the man he was looking for, bat
| wanted me to tell how she was dressed,
! and l did not miss that. Then he informed
me that she had requested on her
death. bed that 1 should be well re-
warded for my kindness. He told me that
| she had little money, but that her mother
| was in rather bad circumstances. l am
| not very saving anyway. but have enough
| for my ordinary expenses. l thought of
my own mother, and then | made up my
| mind that did not want any reward, and
/ told them so. knew that she was CRATE
| fol, and / told them / did not value the
reward half as much as / did her remem-
| brapce OF me. 1 never got the reward"
he added, with an attempt at smile, .'and
these are the only tips that | ever received:
But must report for this train, so that III
| the other man can't 90 I may take his
run. II you ever take run down our
road go on our train. will try and make
| il pleasant for you"
/